Sheet piling



Dec.'5, 1933. F. R. HARRIS SHEET FILING Filed Aug. 11, 1932 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 PATENT OFFICE,

UNITED ST'IALTES 1,937,758 1 SHEET FILING Frederic RrHan-is, New York, N. Yr

Application August 11, 1932., Serial No. 628,326

U ,Claim. (01; 61-62) This invention relates to anovel and improved form of sheet piling, thenovel features of which will be best understood from the following de scription and theannexed drawing, in which I have shown selected embodiments of the invention andinwhich:

Fig.1 is a top edge view piles.

Fig. 2 is a top edgejview of one form of pile which maybe used in accordance with my invention. 4 l

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of two piles at their joint. 1 i

Fig. 4 is a view showing a different form of pile. r

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a joint used with a different form of pile.

The piling is of the sheet type and is preferably made of metallic sections which may take various' forms, but some forms are preferable of two adjoining to others, and where the form is related to the be pointed out. l Referring first to Fig. 1, I have shown therein two adjoining piles 1 and 2connected at a hinge joint 3. The pilel, for example, has opposite -endportions 4 and 5, which, in this form, are shown substantially parallel to each other and extending parallel to the general line of piling of which the two piles forma part. These two end portions 4 and 5 are connected together by an intermediate portion 6 extending laterally with respect to the end portions and forming therewith a Z-shaped section. The joint is various'featu're's of the invention, thatfact will formed by a socket on one pile which receives an element on the adjoining pile. The two piles are shown as being identical instructure, the end portion 5 of one pile being joined to the end portion 4 of the adjoining pile.

Preferably, each pile is provided on one end portion with a female element and on the other end portion with a male element as shown, althoughit is within the scope of my invention to have alternate piles formed with two female elemerits and the other alternate piles formed with two male elements.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the socket 7 is formed with a cylindrical-shaped inner wall 8, this wall extending to the ends of two oppositely disposed lips 9 and 10 which are spaced apart to receive the shank 11 of the male element 12, this element having oppositely extending ears likewise provided with cylindrical walls 14 which will loosely engage the wall 8 of the mating element on the other pile. The shank 11 is of less thicknessthan the space between the lips 9 and 10, so. that a limited amount of rotation of the element 12 within the socket ispermitted. The element 12 is also provided with aconcave wall 15 facing the wall 8 so that between these two wallsis formed a pocket 16 for a purpose'which will presently-"appear. The shank 11 is shown as being out of the plane of the adjacent end portion, so that the surfaces 17 and. 18 on the adjoining piles lie substantially in the same plane.

By the above arrangement, the piles 1 and 2 may be caused to occupy any one of several positions, three suchpositions being shown in Fig. 1. When the pile 2 occupies the position shown in full linesin this figure, it will be seen that the end portions-4 and 5 of the adjoining piles are substantially int hesame plane. When the pile is moved to the position shown at 2',a's may be done by rotating the socket 7 on the element 12, then was before. When,,however, the pile 2 is rotated to the position shown at 2", the element 12 isseen-tobe nearer tothe socket? of the pile 1. 'I'husthe number of piles fill any length of wall made of this sheet piling may be varied, depending upon conditionsifiFor example, if an extra strong Wall is required, the distance between joints, measured in a direction generally parallel to the length of the wall, may be shortened so as to provide more piles per unit of length of wall, and it will also beseen that the individual piles will have a greater portion of their width extend.- ing transversely of the wall so as to provide increased lateral bracing. On the other hand, if a '9 strong wall is not required, then the distance between joints may be increased and thus economize on piling.

When piles of the form shown in Fig. 1 are used, the strength of the wall may be increased in a manner which is simple and yet efficient, by connecting the adjoining piles before they are driven so as to prevent rotation of one with respect to the other at their joint. In Fig. 1, when the piles are in'the full line position, they are shown 10 as being connected by a bar or plate 19 welded l to' the end portions 4 and 5 of adjoining piles. When the pile 2 is in the position indicated at 2, the two piles are shown as being connected by a bar 20 which may have notches engaging the edges of the intermediate portions 6 of the respective piles. The pile 2, when in the position indicated at 2", is shown as having its intermediate portion 6 connected to the intermediate portion 6 of the pile 1 by means of a bolt 21 provided 11 at its opposite ends with nuts engaging the opposite faces of the portions 6. It is of course to be understood that any one of the connecting means shown in Fig. 1 may be used when the piles occupy any relative position.

In Fig. 2 is shown a pile 22 having a socket '7 and an element 12 at opposite ends thereof, corresponding in all particulars to those described above. In this form, however, the pile is formed of a trough section whichis in effect formed by making integral two Z-shaped sections such as shown in Fig. 1, thus decreasing the number of joints in the wall by 50%. I provide the offset portions 23 corresponding to the portions 6, these portions, like the portions" 6, adding greatly to the lateral stability ofthe wall.

In Fig. 2 I provide also end portions 4' and 5' corresponding closely to the portions 4 and 5 of Fig. 1, Whereas in Fig. 4 is shown a trough section 22' having offset portions 23 but in which the end portions have been omitted, the element 12' and socket '7 being formed directly on the offset portions 23'. This form may be found more advisable in certain locations.

In all forms described above, the pocket 16 may be used to aid in making the structure relatively water-tight. This may be done in several ways. For example, when driving the piling, the material through which it is driven may be permitted to enter the pocket 16 freely and then may be consolidated by tamping. Another method is to remove this material from the pocket 16 and to replace it by selected material, such, for example, as clay, grout, hemp grease, or any other selected substance. In Fig. 3 I have indicated at 24. a packing which may be formed by any of the methods outlined above.

In Fig. 5 is shown a slightly different form of pile which may be formed of flat webs 25 and 25 connected by a joint formed of a socket 27 receiving a male element 28. These joint elements are shown as disposed symmetrically with respect to the webs 25 and 26, but otherwise they are formed in the same general manner as outlined above, and their details will not be further described. In this figure I have also shown another Here too, however,

method which may be used in making the joint substantially water-tight. This method consists in the use of a temporary filling in the form of a filler member 29, here shown as a rod, which may be driven simultaneously with the piling and which will fill the pocket to such an extent as to keep it substantially free from the material through which the piling is being driven. After the piling is driven, then the filler member may be removed, after which the space formerly occupied thereby may be packed in any desired manner and with any suitable material.

Still another use which may be made of the pocket 16 is to receive a jetting fluid to aid in driving the piling. For example, a pipe may be run down through the pocket to the bottom of the piling to convey steam or any other of the well-known fluids used in jetting operations. After the driving is finished, the pipe may be removed and then the joint packed as stated above. Similarly, it will be seen that the pocket itself, without any additional pipe, may be used as a conduit for a jetting fluid.

I have pointed out above the novel features of the inventionand a number of the advantages resulting therefrom. Other advantages will, of course, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

While I have shown selected embodiments of the invention, I am aware that various changes in details may be made therein, and therefore I do not intend to limit myself except by the appended claim.

I claim:

Sheet piling comprising two sections hingedly jointed together at adjacent parallel edges to permit rotation of one section relative to the other about an axis parallel to said edges, each section having a portion extending laterally of the general line of piling, and tie members connecting said portions to hold the sections in desired position, whereby, before driving, one section may be rotated about said joint relatively to the other section until the desired relation therebetween isobtained, and then the sections may be locked in said relation for driving as a unit.

FREDERIC R. HARRIS. 

